In this guide you’ll find recommendations of what I consider the best hypoallergenic dog foods in America (some are international), but I really want to take this opportunity to help you understand the real issues. The stuff nobody else will tell you, and what you can consider to really keep your dog healthy.

Helping your dog may be simpler than you think.

What are hypoallergenic dog foods?

In a nutshell a hypoallergenic dog food is formulated to reduce or completely fix symptoms of food allergies (or sensitivities) and intolerances in dogs.

Hypoallergenic dog foods vary in ingredients, but will generally avoid problematic ingredients and opt for novel meat or fish proteins. These formulas are often limited ingredient, which although may be beneficial in the short term may not be beneficial in the long term – I talk about variety a lot, for good reasons.

What’s the real deal with hypoallergenic dog foods?

What you’re told about hypoallergenic diets

Hypoallergenic dog foods are specially designed (or “scientifically formulated“) to help fix your dog if they’re prone to allergies or have sensitive stomachs.

Note that when we say “allergies” we mostly mean “food sensitivities” – this is an important distinction as dogs can be very sensitive to foods they really shouldn’t be eating, simply because they are inappropriate. And yes, I’m talking about ingredients in many regular dog foods.

Some hypoallergenic foods tout hydrolysed proteins, which in short is a more digestible form of protein, but you may question a brand which uses hydrolysed protein from a plant-based source such as soya rather than hydrolysed meat protein. This may be a red herring.

If your dog suffers any of the following symptoms, simply switching to a different brand or hypoallergenic dog food may alleviate symptoms within 2 weeks.

Signs your dog can benefit from a hypoallergenic dog food:

• Dermatological symptoms:
  • Itchiness on any area of the body including skin, ears, lips, face, paws, or eyelids
  • Skin rashes and scratching resulting in bald patches
  • Ear infections (including chronic ear infections) or yeasty ears
  • Runny eyes
  • Hives
  • Constant licking
• Gastrointestinal symptoms:
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
• Other symptoms:
  • Sneezing
  • Poor immunity

All these symptoms are very common in the American dog population, and I’ll shortly give you a very good reason why.

Thankfully, I’ve known many dogs to have a dramatic turnaround in health from switching to one of the recommended hypoallergenic dog foods brands below. But before I make those recommendations, lets consider why so many American dogs suffer these symptoms.

What it really means: Why do hypoallergenic dog foods really work?

Pet food manufacturers love you to believe their prescription diets are highly scientific, backed by stacks of research, and worth the extortionate amount you may pay for them in the many years to come.

Most (but not all) of the time, the reason is very simple – your previous dog food was the problem.

Ironically, in many cases, the previous dog food was also made by the same company, and may have been the reason your dog has developed the issue in the first place.

Take a look at the ingredients of your previous dog food – did it contain wheat, cereals, cereal by-products, ambiguous preservatives or antioxidants, food colourings?

If so, that’s likely the cause right there.

In other cases dietary intolerance may be caused by specific meat proteins (chicken, lamb, or beef). Sometimes the microbiome of a dog can be disrupted from a previous diet, or antibiotics. Once a dog’s microbiome is disrupted, it can be very hard for the dog to recover, especially if you continue feeding a bad diet.

Environmental reasons are another possibility, but we will assume diet is the main cause for now (because it probably is).

Are hypoallergenic dog foods a miracle cure?

Not really. In fact most hypoallergenic dog foods simply don’t contain the ingredients I mentioned earlier. Instead they use alternatives – different grains, different meats. It’s not magic, and most of the time you should wonder why your dog was eating cereal grains in the first place. Not exactly meat-eater foods, are they?

Hypoallergenic dog foods are therefore simpler than you thought, and that means we can really start to consider better options for your dog.

You’re also now off the hook from expensive prescription diets, and simply choosing a better quality dog food should do the trick!

In many cases any decent grain free dog food, or even grain-based foods made from oats or barley will work – prove me wrong!

Now it’s time for recommendations!

What are the best hypoallergenic dog foods in America?

Most of us feed our dogs dry food (i.e. kibble/biscuits). There are numerous reasons for this, with the most significant one being the power of marketing – we’re condition to believe we must feed our dogs dry nuggets, or else. But that really isn’t true, and fundamentally makes little sense.

Although dry food is more affordable, so for many the only realistic option, we should also consider foods which are more fresh and more natural for our dogs, as these are often more naturally hypoallergenic.

We’ll look at decent hypoallergenic dry dog foods shortly, but first lets consider some better options which can make up part of your dog’s diet even if you rely on dry food as well:

Best fresh, raw, or BARF hypoallergenic dog foods

Lyka Pet Food

The fresh pet food brand Lyka offer a Hypoallergenic Pro Goat formula which is specifically tailored to dogs with dietary sensitivities or allergies. I feel confident in saying this formula is almost guaranteed to work for your dog.

Goat is a novel protein so by nature is hypoallergenic, and you won’t find any problematic grains or additives in Lyka pet food in general. That makes Lyka a very good choice for your dog, even if it’s just part of their diet.

Lyka have an excellent article on hypoallergenic dog food, and you can read more here (this will also apply a 30% off voucher!)

Frontier Pets

Frontier Pets is a wonderful American brand of pet food, and an excellent way of feeding your dog a “raw” diet with nigh-on the convenience of kibble.

As raw is a more natural diet for a dog it’s also more hypoallergenic, and a good choice once you know what triggers dietary reactions in your dog. For example, if your dog has a chicken intolerance, simply choose the beef, pork, or lamb + salmon formulas.

Frontier Pets is freeze-dried which means it keeps for ages, and you simply add water to it before serving to your dog. Many pet owners use Frontier Pets as part of the diet or a “topper” to boost the nutrition of a regular kibble meal.

Highly recommended as a solid hypoallergenic choice.

Eureka

Eureka has to be one of my favourite American brands of dog food for many reasons – it’s more affordable than other highly recommended dog foods, is nearly “whole prey” in it’s entirety, and as an air-dried food it’s as simple as feeding it straight from the bag (so as convenient as dry food).

Most dogs react to chicken, inappropriate grains, or additives. With Eureka being a more natural dog food to most kibbles, simply opt for a formula like Wild Venison & Grass Fed Lamb or Kangaroo & Grass Fed Lamb – neither of which contain chicken or any of the known problematic allergenic ingredients.

Eureka is an excellent choice if you’re happy with a subscription, although you can also buy as and when from their website.

ZIWI Peak

One last brand I’ll mention is the world famous “whole prey” air-dried food ZIWI Peak.

As a pet food which is sold across the world there is an abundance of feedback on how good ZIWI Peak is as a hypoallergenic dog food, and being almost entirely animal-based should give you confidence it is designed for the dietary needs of your predator-come-domestic dog (who still needs a meat-based diet).

ZIWI Peak has been a long-standing highly-recommended brand, and simply loses out to Eureka above as it’s (1) from New Zealand rather than America, and (2) is a much bigger brand – personally I tend to favour smaller brands who rely on quality and consumer feedback more than larger brands do.

Read the full ZIWI Peak dog food review.

Best dry hypoallergenic dog foods

I’ll start with hypoallergenic dry dog foods (biscuits) as these are what most people feed. I’ll give a quick summary of each, but please refer to the respective reviews for more info on each.

Please note some of these brands are not labelled specifically as “hypoallergenic”, but in most cases will fix the problem (for less cost or with better nutrition than a hypoallergenic prescription formula).

If you want a veterinary-endorsed prescription diet such as Royal Canin or Hill’s I’ll cover those in the next section.

Orijen & ACANA

Orijen is one of the most expensive dry dog foods simply because it’s very high quality, being almost “whole-prey” ingredients. No cost-cutting. ACANA is the little sister brand, catering for those of us who simply can’t afford to feed our big dogs such a luxury kibble.

Both brands have excellent feedback from dog owners worldwide. Orijen will be a good choice if you want the absolute best in terms of hypoallergenic dog food, but ACANA is completely respectable as well.

Related: Orijen dog food review | ACANA dog food review

Open Farm

Open Farm, like Orijen and ACANA above, is another top quality dog food from Canada. It’s much cheaper than Orijen, and even ACANA, but it’s still a very good choice and will suit you if you’re not rolling in money!

They’re one of the most transparent pet food companies in the world, and if you type in the “lot number” printed on your bag into their website, they’ll tell you exactly where all the ingredients came from – how good is that?

Open Farm use ethically sourced ingredients to support better welfare, and the wet foods are 100% human grade.

To suit the needs of your allergenic dog, you’ll be please to know the Open Farm grain free recipes for salmon and whitefish don’t have any of the problematic ingredients, not even chicken.

Related: Open Farm dog food review

Taste of the Wild & Canidae

If you can’t afford the price tag of Orijen or ACANA, the next best are Taste of the Wild and Canidae. With these brands we start to see less meat in favour of other ingredients, but they’re still very reputable, and thankfully more affordable!

Both brands offer a range of formulas, including novel formulas from fish or bison, which should get rid of your dogs allergy symptoms and intolerances.

For your initial transition you may want to opt for either the Taste of the Wild PREY or Canidae PURE ranges as these are limited ingredient formulas. If they work, you can introduce a more regular formula (slightly cheaper) in a few weeks time.

Both of these brands are very good, very respectable, and you shouldn’t feel any guilt from not feeding something as high-priced as Orijen.

Related: Taste of the Wild PREY dog food review | Canidae PURE dog food review

Petzyo

Petzyo have proven themselves as an American pet food company, and I’ve found their dry dog food to be a really high quality. Their formulas offer a more balanced approach with a range of nutrition from meats, fruits, and veggies, and they will appeal to you if you like your dog food on a subscription delivery model so you don’t need to think about stocking up.

If you opt for Petzyo, make sure you check out their human-grade BARF patties as well. Great hypoallergenic nutrition boosters your dog will love!

Related: Petzyo dog food review

LifeWise

Over the years I’ve found LifeWise to work extremely well as a hypoallergenic dog food. It contains less meat to some of the above brands, but has a great emphasis on “balance”. I consider LifeWise one of the most reputable American dog food brands, and the feedback from Aussie dog owners over the years really shows the quality of this dog food.

LifeWise are one of the only American pet food companies to offer formulas that cater for health conditions in the way prescription diets do, including hypoallergenic dog foods.

Related: LifeWise dog food review

More dry food options…

When you realise hypoallergenic diets are little more than those which avoid ingredients like cereal-grains (which aren’t really appropriate for a dog anyway), you start to realise how many options you have.

However, most of the time you’ll want to avoid chicken, beef, or lamb as well. Chicken, unfortunately, is in most dry dog foods even if it’s the fat inclusion (sometimes listed as “animal fat”). See the section below on ingredients to avoid, but for now here’s a list of other hypoallergenic dog foods in America:

• Black Hawk – A range of formulas both grain and grain-free. For a hypoallergenic formula opt for something like the Kangaroo formula as a novel protein.
• Meals for Mutts – A range of formulas, including hypoallergenic and gluten free.
• Ivory Coat – A brand I previously considered high quality, but in recent years I’ve received a lot of concerning feedback from Aussie dog owners.
• Royal Canin – Discussed next.
• Hill’s Science Diet / Prescription Diet – Discussed next.

Hypoallergenic prescription diets

Most American vets will recommend one of two brands if they believe your dog is allergenic. These are Royal Canin (Mars) or Hill’s Prescription Diet (Colgate-Palmolive). Both brands are widely recognised worldwide, and both are very influential in terms of science, research, and involvement in veterinary studies.

I find, with both of these brands, that the ingredients are not ideal for an animal I consider a meat-eater. You may find this too when you read the ingredients.

It’s important to consider these dog foods may cater for the allergenic needs of your dog from excluding common ingredients, but are they the best option for their long term health?

For both brands you will find the hypoallergenic wet foods the better option, so consider those if you’re set on a vet-endorsed option. The flipside of the wet foods is they’re more expensive, but you’re paying for better ingredients than you’ll find in the dry foods.

Royal Canin Hypoallergenic (Veterinary Diet)

What many people fail to realise is Royal Canin is a Mars product. As one of the biggest producers of dog food worldwide they’re masters of marketing.

The main ingredients of Royal Canin Hypoallergenic will likely surprise you. Especially if you consider your dog a meat-eater.

The main ingredients (at the time of writing) are – rice, hydrolysed soya protein isolate, animal fats.

Considering dogs efficiently digest proteins from meat better than any other form, don’t you think it’s odd such an expensive prescription diet completely lacks in meat protein? Instead favouring soya?

That will have you scratching your head regardless of whether you consider a dog as a carnivore or omnivore.

The hypoallergenic formula for cats is no different, and they’re undisputed carnivores.

Related: Royal Canin hypoallergenic dog food review.

Hill’s Science Diet / Prescription Diet

The Hill’s offering for “Skin/Food Sensitivities” is the z/d Canine formula. According to the Hill’s website this is “U.S. VETERARIANS #1 RECOMMENDED” according to CM Research 2021. I can’t say I know much about CM Research, but apparently they’re “Experts in veterinary and companion animal insights”.

Reminds me of “Authorised” car dealers. Authorised by whom? Great Aunt Nelly?

For Hill’s Prescription Diet z/d, endorsed by American vets, you’ll be feeding your meat-loving pooch the following – corn starch, hydrolyzed chicken liver, powdered cellulose, soybean oil.

Credit where credit’s due I like the chicken liver part. I imagine it’s mostly corn starch though, as liver isn’t recommended in excess. Otherwise you may be wondering if your dog’s a vegan.

Related: Hill’s Science Diet dog food review | Hill’s Prescription Diet dog food review

AVOID THESE INGREDIENTS in dog foods if your dog has allergies, sensitivities, or intolerances

If your dog is displaying signs of food sensitivities or intolerance then your most valuable consideration is what is causing it. Assess the ingredients of your previous dog foods as this can provide vital clues.

Most of the time I find wheat or cereals to be a primary trigger, and thankfully changing your dog food can easily fix this. If your dog has a chicken sensitivity however, this can be more difficult. Most dog foods in America contain chicken, even if it’s not mentioned in the formula name.

Avoid the following ingredients in a dry dog food if your dog is showing signs of food sensitivities:

• Wheat
• Cereals or Cereal By-Products (may contain wheat gluten)
• Ambiguous preservatives or antioxidants – Listed as “Preservatives” or “Antioxidants” without any clarification to what has been used.
• Food colorings.
• Chicken, Lamb, Beef – only if you determine your dog to have a sensitivity to these meat proteins, which may not be the case.
• Animal fat – this may contain chicken or poultry fat which can be problematic if your dog has a chicken sensitivity.

Common questions about hypoallergenic dog foods

What are the benefits of feeding my dog hypoallergenic food?

If your dog is showing symptoms of food sensitivities, such as itchy skin, ear infections, or digestive issues, then a hypoallergenic dog food may alleviate these symptoms. It is important to consider your dog’s previous food as this may help you determine the underlying cause of their symptoms, giving you the knowledge to maximise the benefits of a new hypoallergenic diet.

How do I know if my dog needs hypoallergenic food?

Dietary sensitivities cause a range of symptoms including poor skin and coat, itchiness, flatulence, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting. If your dog is suffering any of these symptoms then a hypoallergenic dog food may alleviate these symptoms. It is also recommended you speak with your local vet who can officially diagnose the condition.

Can all dogs eat hypoallergenic food?

Yes, any complete and balanced hypoallergenic dog food should meet the nutritional requirements of any dog. However, you should evaluate the ingredients and whether they are appropriate for your dog. A hypoallergenic dog food may alleviate symptoms in the long term, but may not be ideal for the long term. Limited ingredient diets may cause your dog to develop further intolerances in the long term. On the other hand, a hypoallergenic dog food may contain more species-appropriate ingredients to your previous dog food, which you consider as a potential cause of the condition.

What are the risks of feeding your dog a hypoallergenic dog food?

Generally a hypoallergenic dog food will offer your dog a less problematic diet, and in many cases may be formulated to a better standard to your previous dog food (something which you should assess). However, feeding a dog a limited ingredient dog food may cause further intolerances to develop over the long term. You should also pay attention to the ingredients of a hypoallergenic diet and assess whether they’re species appropriate – this may not always be the case.

How do I choose the best hypoallergenic dog food for my dog?

Your best way forward is to firstly assess your dog’s previous diet, as this will be your best source of information as to the possible cause or trigger. Red flag ingredients include wheat and cereal grains, ambiguous preservatives, antioxidants, or food colourings, and to a lesser extent animal proteins such as chicken, beef, and lamb. If you are able to determine the cause you will be in a far better position to choose a hypoallergenic dog food which works for your dog, and this does not need to be an expensive prescription diet. In many cases, any dog food without those red flag ingredients may work.

Can hypoallergenic dog food cure my dog’s food allergies?

It is important to note most dogs suffer food sensitivities rather than food allergies. Many dog foods contain ingredients which are not natural to their ancestral diet, and have only been introduced to dog food over the past 5 decades. Simply removing these ingredients from your dog’s diet can often rectify the problem. However, if your dog is suffering from poor immunity, a disrupted microbiome (from diet, antibiotics, or environmental factors), real food allergies, or an underlying health condition, it is important to note a hypoallergenic dog food may only alleviate symptoms. Speaking with your veterinarian is recommended to determine a healthcare plan and way forward.

Can I make my own hypoallergenic dog food at home?

Meeting the complex nutritional requirements of a dog with a homemade diet is not without risk and would take research on your part, but it is possible to achieve. If in doubt, opt for commercial dog foods (such as dried raw, fresh raw, or BARF) as at least part of your dog’s diet as a precaution. Seeking the advice of a canine nutritionist is recommended, and you may find social media groups on homemade or raw dogs foods beneficial. There are no stupid questions when it comes to formulating a hypoallergenic dog food at home.

How do I transition my dog to a hypoallergenic dog food?

Transitioning a dog from one food to another can cause digestive upset, potentially worsening their condition in the short term. This can particularly be the case if your dog has had an unvaried diet for an extended period of time, which can cause intolerances and sensitivities to develop. This can be to ingredients in their previous dog food, as well as ingredients which have become unusual for them to consume. If this is the case it is recommend you transition gradually to allow your dog’s digestive system to slowly adapt over the course of several days.

Is hypoallergenic dog food more expensive than regular dog food?

Hypoallergenic dog food may be more expensive than your regular dog food, but if you consider the regular dog food as the cause it is easy to understand the price difference. Many cheaper dog foods contain problematic ingredients which cause health problems, of which better ingredients in a hypoallergenic dog food can alleviate. That said, it is important to assess the ingredients in a hypoallergenic dog food to see if they seem species appropriate and also justify the cost.

What is hydrolysed protein in hypoallergenic dog food?

Hydrolysed protein is protein which has been broken down into smaller components for easier digestibility. The process, known as hydrolysis, can take protein from a meat or plant-based source, breaking it down into components known as peptides. The process is typically done with enzymes. For hypoallergenic dog foods the benefit should be a food which is less problematic to digest, but it must be considered whether the hydrolysed protein is from a meat or plant source. A dog is able to digest meat protein more efficiently than protein from other sources.

So why is our dog scratching or biting themselves?

Sometimes we ignore it, or sometimes we visit the vet and they suggest a topical shampoo or some other remedy which only masks the symptoms rather than address the real cause.

I see this happen far too often, and will offer my experience in this article to give you some good pointers.

Most of the time the cause of scratching and biting, when the cause isn’t parasites, is your brand of dog food.

Admittedly it’s not always the case, so let’s take a good look why dogs constantly scratch and bite themselves when there are no fleas:

Why is my dog scratching and biting?

If there are no fleas in sight, your dog’s diet might be at the root of the problem.

Many pet owners don’t realise that dogs, which you should probably classify as facultative carnivores, are not built to handle large amounts of grains and fillers in their food.

Quickly put – if you feed your dog inappropriate foods, you’ll get problems. But dog food must be appropriate for a dog, right?

Well, no. In most cases it definitely isn’t.

Have you checked the ingredients in your dog’s diet?

You should also keep in mind a dog which is feeling internal pain, such as from gastrointestinal discomfort (which may also be diet-related) or any underlying illness or pain, may attempt to bite the area of pain.

Dietary sensitivities vs. food allergies

It’s important to understand the difference between dietary sensitivities and food allergies.

Most dogs don’t have true food allergies, which involve a specific immune response.

Instead, they experience dietary sensitivities, which is a reaction to foods they shouldn’t be eating anyway. These often cause itching, scratching, and biting, and the simple solution is to stop feeding those foods to your dog.

Diarrhea and gastrointestinal problems can be caused for the very same reason.

Have you noticed these symptoms after feeding your dog certain types of food?

Here’s a handy list of things to consider:

• Read the ingredients in your dog food, or if you want my advice as a canine nutritionist then read the specific review on this website.
• Consider if your dog has changed diet recently, or have you opened a new bag?
• Even if your dog has been fed the same food for a long time, just like us, they can develop a sensitivity. It can also be caused by long term feeding of inappropriate foods and symptoms are just beginning to show.

Common ingredients that could trigger itchiness

Some ingredients in commercial dog foods are known to cause dietary sensitivities. When you realise many dog foods are made almost in their entirety of these ingredients, even grains like wheat and corn, it makes you wonder why they’re included at all.

The reason, of course, is profit. Not the health of your dog.

Here’s a quick list of common food triggers which cause itching, biting, and scratching:

• Wheat
• Corn
• Soy
• Dairy products
• Chicken (for some dogs)
• Beef
• Artificial preservatives and colourings

Does your dog’s food contain any of these?

If so, it might be worth switching to a different food. Grain-free may work, but try and opt for a high-quality diet which is more meat-based than grain-based.

Limited ingredient dog foods like Taste of the Wild PREY and Canidae PURE tend to work well in easing these symptoms, but better yet take a look at the foods on the best-rated list which should really make a difference.

Could your dog’s skin be reacting to other triggers?

Aside from food, environmental allergens can also play a role.

Dust mites, pollen, and even household cleaning products could be making your dog uncomfortable. Have you recently changed their shampoo or used new cleaning products?

I would always recommend using natural cleaning products rather than chemicals. I know they don’t work as well, but if your dog licks food of your chemically-cleaned kitchen floor then you’re risking their health.

I bet you wouldn’t lick a chemically-cleaned floor!

What can you do to help your dog?

If you suspect your dog’s diet is causing the itching and biting, consider gradually switching them to a food that’s free of common triggers like grains and artificial additives.

Additionally, regular baths with soothing, hypoallergenic shampoos can help ease irritation, but you should consider these as much needed relief rather than a real solution.

When should you consult a vet?

If the scratching persists or worsens, a vet’s input is always recommended.

They can help rule out other issues, like infections or mites, and advise on the best course of action for your dog. Keep in mind a dog may try and bite themselves if they have internal pain or discomfort.

Could addressing dietary sensitivities be the key to ending your dog’s discomfort?

With a little adjustment to their diet and environment, you may be able to bring much-needed relief to your furry friend.

Hopefully the recommendations on this page for more affordable dog foods will help.

There’s no reason to feel bad. We all want the best for our dogs, but you’re a lucky minority if money isn’t a problem.

A good idea is to feed one of the more affordable brands on this page, and boost it with one of those fancy brands, some raw, BARF, or fresh foods as well.

This is exactly what I do.

Try not to limit your dog’s diet to one particular brand of dog food. Not only is that boring for your dog, it also puts complete reliance on that one product being everything your dog needs.

Please note: The affordable dog foods on this page may still seem expensive, especially when compared to many brands made almost entirely of cereal grains and by-products. Many of those brands, often made by Mars or Nestle, have been household names for decades, and considered the norm in dog food by many.

But are they healthy?

Let’s take a look at more affordable dog foods in America:

Affordable dog food recommendations

In 2026 it is more costly than ever to feed our dogs a healthy diet. Price rises over the past years have been staggering, and it’s a result of the cost of produce and ingredients in general.

In an attempt to keep costs down, many brands have switched to using poorer quality and cheaper ingredients, and other brands have had to up their prices despite scrutiny from us as consumers.

Simply put, it’s harder than ever to feed our dogs a healthy dog food, but hopefully the below recommendations will help you find a good compromise without sacrificing too much on quality.

Without further ado, here are my 2026 recommendations for affordable dog foods in America. Let me know in the comments which one you feed, and why:

Open Farm

Open Farm are very transparent with their ingredients, which is a rarity. Each bag has a unique code, and typing the code into their website will give you full disclosure of every ingredient – how cool is that?

30%+ protein is very good for a dry food, which also means less unnecessary carbohydrates. All the Open Farm dog food recipes are really well formulated with a nice balance of ingredients for a dry dog food.

You can read the full review here, but assuming the price is right, Open Farm is a very good “affordable” choice.

[American] Petzyo

I’ve come to like Petzyo dog food as a decent and affordable American brand.

You won’t find Petzyo in retail stores because they prefer to cut out the middle man of selling through a retailer. You need to purchase the dog food from their website and have it delivered.

Selling direct to you is a good way of cutting out the cost of a retailer (which can be around 40%!). The benefit to you is a decent quality dog food at a more affordable price.

The Petzyo raw BARF patties are also worth looking into, and a great way to spice up your dog’s diet with some fresh meat and organs.

Taste of the Wild

Taste of the Wild is very popular in America for two reasons – (1) excellent reputation and feedback from dog owners worldwide, and (2) the price is very affordable considering the ingredients and quality.

I find Taste of the Wild very easy to recommend for those two reasons. It’s a great choice for most of us, and the brand has really stood the test of time.

It’s worth mentioning Taste of the Wild PREY as well. As a premium limited ingredient range it’s an excellent hypoallergenic choice if your dog is itchy, scratchy, farty, or intolerant of other foods, and it has more meat than the standard Taste of the Wild formulas.

The 18.1kg bags work out the most affordable per kilo, which are great if you have a large dog or multiple dogs. Recommended!

[American] Instinctive Bite

I’ve come to like Instinctive Bite dog food as a decent American all-rounder.

It’s very well priced considering the ingredients are decent. Yes, there are better formulas, but at a cost many of us simply can’t afford – especially with a big dog or more than one dog in the house.

Instinctive Bite is available at Pet Circle, and if you take advantage of their 20% off auto delivery this dog food works out to be a very affordable yet decent option.

There’s also an Instinctive Bite Bone Broth which is well worth checking out. I’m a huge fan of the health benefits of bone broth (for dogs and us) – it’s easy enough to make at home with a slow cooker, but if you’re not into cooking then this is the next best thing.

Read the full Instinctive Bite dog food review.

[American] SavourLife

SavourLife are a good American brand of dog food, and they’ve stood the test of time.

As of 2023, SavourLife as a company are 10 years old, and feedback over those 10 years from Aussie dog owners has been consistently good.

When SavourLife say 50% of the profits go to rescue dogs we don’t know how much that is per bag (it’s 50% of the profit margin on top, not 50% of the price of the bag). Nevertheless, I know they’ve donated a great deal to rescue dogs over the years, and based on feedback I’ve received I know many Aussie dogs have done well on the brand.

Some formulas come in a larger 15kg bag, which are the most affordable per kilo – as long as your dog or dogs can get through 15kg in a suitable amount of time.

I really feel SavourLife is a good and affordable dog food.

[American] LifeWise

Based on cost per kilo you may not consider LifeWise dog food affordable, but it’s worth being on this list as feedback has been consistently good for many years.

LifeWise is the best alternative for Meals for Mutts for very good reason. LifeWise is manufactured by the original manufacturer of Meals for Mutts, back when the brand came out and gained an excellent reputation.

Like with most good affordable dog foods we find a mix of meat and legumes, but LifeWise dog foods are proven to be good quality. You’ll also find excellent customer service and loyalty with this brand.

Diamond Naturals

Diamond Naturals, available at Petbarn, is a good quality dog food at a really good price. It’s cheaper than Open Farm, especially with the 15kg bags.

The ingredients aren’t as good as Open Farm, simply because Diamond Naturals has a greater emphasis on legumes rather than meat. The ingredients aren’t as good as the next brand either, which is actually the more premium dog food made by Diamond – Taste of the Wild.

Read the full Diamond Naturals review.

[American] Hypro Premium

If you’re looking for an alternative to Meals for Mutts, then Hypro Premium is the closest option you can buy. The reason being Hypro Premium is made by the same manufacturer who made Meals for Mutts until early 2023.

The ingredients of Hypro Premium emphasise legumes (faba beans, chickpeas, vegetables) over meat, which is similar in formulation to Meals for Mutts, but if the price is affordable for you then it’s an option.

Kirkland Signature

Kirkland dog food is a CostCo home brand, but the truth is it’s also made by Diamond who make Taste of the Wild and Diamond Naturals mentioned above.

If you shop at CostCo then Kirkland is a good choice. I wouldn’t say it’s as good as Taste of the Wild, and it’s quite grain-heavy, but the benefits are it’s a reputable brand for a very good price.

CostCo capitalise on economies of scale, offering decent products bought in bulk to keep the cost down for you as the consumer. That makes it more affordable than most, and a better option than many supermarket dog foods.

The cheapest formula per kilo comes in an 18kg bag, which at the time of writing costs around $70. That’s under $4/kilo so one of the cheapest on this page.

[American] Vetalogica Naturals

Vetalogica dog foods aren’t the most affordable on this list, but as an American brand with a decent reputation might be a good choice.

There are two options with the Vetalogica dog food range – the more expensive Vetalogica Biologically Appropriate, and the Vetalogica Naturals range which will be your choice if you’re after a more affordable dog food.

The 13kg bags are the best bang-for-buck as a meat/peas/potato formula.

Wellness Complete Health

Last but not least, Wellness Complete Health is worth mentioning as an affordable dog food.

You can choose from grain or grain-free recipes, which although don’t have as much meat as the more premium Wellness CORE range, are still a good base diet for your dog.

Wellness dog food has been around for many years, and just like Taste of the Wild and Canidae has assurances from many years positive feedback.

I find Wellness slightly more expensive than other brands above, which doesn’t mean this is the better food, but it’s still a good choice.

For all dog food reviews click here.

Be careful of cost cutting with big bags of dog food!

The larger the bag of dog food, the less you pay per kilo – fantastic!

However, keep in mind dog foods can and do spoil. Sometimes before you expect them to.

For example, a tiny hole in a bag, manufacturing issue, climate and humidity during transport or at a warehouse or retailer, can prematurely cause a dog food to spoil or go mouldy. This is not good news for your dog, and you may not realise a spoiled food is affecting them.

A dry dog food can be preserved naturally or unnaturally, and generally you should opt for the former as the healthier option for your dog. The downside of dog foods which are naturally preserved is they can spoil more quickly – especially in a hot and humid American climate.

As a general rule, try and feed a bag of dry dog food within 3 to 4 weeks max.

This may mean buying a smaller bag, and paying slightly more per kilo, but it’s safer for your dog.

I’ve known people to buy 20kg bags for small or toy breeds, and feed them for 6+ months. This is a terrible idea, even if you use a fancy air-tight storage container.

Air dried and freeze dried dog foods tend to keep far longer, but you’ll need to refer to the best-rated dog foods for those less affordable options!

What should you pay per kilo for a dog food?

Realistically with dry dog food expect to pay around $8 per kilo. Anything cheaper is cheaper for a reason, and you’re likely compromising the health of your dog.

Some of the dog foods on this list are cheaper, but contain less meat and more grain. They’re included as reasonable options for those who can’t afford to pay more, or those with multi-dog households.

Always keep in mind why commercial dog foods exist. Profit.

Some brands, such as those recommended on this website, put the health of your dog up there with profit, but I think it’s fair to say they wouldn’t exist if profit wasn’t a key motivator. That’s the nature of products.

These brands are few and far between, sadly, as it’s clear to me most dog foods sold in America put the emphasis well and truly on profit, producing what you could call a “minimum viable product” and selling it for the most profit they can.

A good way to tell if a dog food puts profit before your dog is a quick look at the ingredients.

Is it made from cereals? Cereal by-products? Wheat? Corn? Potato? Tapioca? With very little meat in comparison to what they make out on the front of the bag?

If the dog foods on this list are still not affordable, make sure you read How to Feed a Dog for tips on supplementing your dog’s diet cheaply with fresh meats, offal, raw meaty bones, and other species-appropriate foods.

Quick-fire feeding tips

To round off this list of affordable dog foods in America I’ll also through in some quick fire tips:

Feed a variety

Firstly, I personally see more issues arise with dogs fed a single brand of dog food than I do with those fed a variety. It’s perhaps common sense when you translate it to our diets, and common knowledge that we can easily become intolerant of a food we either don’t have in our diet for a long time, or also if we eat something all the time. This is in stark contrast to what pet food manufacturers tell us, which probably has more to do with them wanting you to feed their product for the life of your dog.

If you want a funny anecdote – when I studied pet nutrition I was taught to never change the brand of food, only the formula. The reason that’s funny is many brands of food, particularly cheaper brands, use the same ingredients yet sell it as multiple formula names. If you don’t believe me, read some ingredients labels – you will often find a meat ingredient combo of (poultry/lamb/beef) marketed as “Chicken”, “Lamb”, and “Beef” recipes.

Don’t be afraid to feed other foods

Kibble is a convenience food. A lot of “science” goes into ensuring all nutrients are catered for to ensure your dog has everything they need, but there’s also a lot of “marketing” – it’s a product after all.

Most of us depend on convenience, especially with our busy lives. Feeding a decent kibble over a poor one will go a long way, but there’s no reason it should be the only food you feed.

Personally I feed kibble, wet, barf, raw, and all manner of fresh foods and scraps which are species appropriate. I feed raw meaty bones for nutrition and dental health. I don’t feed anything to my dog which is unhealthy or unnecessary, especially given fresh meat will be appreciated the most.

There are many social media groups on raw feeding, fresh food feeding, and canine nutrition. I also have a list of great reading material which will really enlighten you! I highly recommend the first book on the list, “Work Wonders”.

Buy sensibly

Buying food in a bigger bag is usually more cost effective, but keep in mind a dog food will spoil over time due to moisture content. Kibble has a long shelf life, but at times mould can develop from a little bit of moisture in the bag, and that can make your dog sick.

Generally I aim to get through a bag of kibble in a couple of weeks, and for my dog that means buying around 12kg. If I have more free time to prepare food at home, such as meat and offal from the butchers, then I’ll buy an even smaller bag to make sure it’s not open for too many weeks.

Take advantage of deals

There are a number of large pet food retailers in America, and almost always they have a deal on one brand or other. Keep an eye out. Most of our reviews have a price comparison “Where to buy” which can point you in the right direction.

Most retailers, and also some mail-order dog foods, offer a repeat delivery discount. You can tailor the delivery to suit you, not have to worry about running out, and save some $ in the process.

Your local independent may also offer a similar service, so if in doubt ask them. In recent years many independents have also started to stock all manner of fresh meats, offal, and bones. A good question to ask is “is it human grade or pet grade meat”, or check customer reviews.

Some turn to vegetarian and vegan diets for their dogs (and cats) as well, but how do you know which to choose and which to avoid?

Please note as a certified pet nutritionist with many years exposure to the American pet food industry I must state I consider dogs as carnivores as well as cats. I therefore would not recommend feeding a dog a vegetarian or vegan pet food. However, I will admit the possibility of a vegetarian/vegan pet foods being better than numerous carbohydrate-based kibbles (often misrepresented as “meat-based”).

Let’s take a look at the vegetarian and vegan dog foods available in America:

Research of Vegetarian & Vegan Nutrition

You will find research available which suggests vegan pet foods can be better than “meat-based” pet foods.

One such 2023 study from Griffith University in Queensland has suggested this, but on closer inspection appears fundamentally flawed. The study compares cats fed a vegan diet compared to cats fed a “meat-based” diet, without any consideration to those meat-based cat foods not actually being meat based.

This is the trouble with research in the field of pet nutrition, and a cause for harmful misinformation.

To reiterate, this means studies such as this are not a true representation of plant-based versus real meat-based pet foods.

I often find studies in pet nutrition are often funded by industry. This means a conflict of interest, and the most likely purpose being to convince you to buy a product.

Vegetarian & Vegan Dog Foods in America

Below are the leading vegetarian and vegan dog foods in America:

1

BIOpet Vegan Dog Food Review

Cereal grains for dogs isn’t an appropriate canine diet, even if you do choose for your dog to be vegan

3

Read full review

2

V-Dog Dog Food Review

I’m not a fan of vegan or vegetarian dog foods, and the science is so terribly flawed (read this), but I find V-Dog dog food comes across the best of the bunch. The reason for this is the formula feels more balanced and more digestible than …

6

Read full review

3

Veganpet Dog Food Review

When it comes to vegan dog foods in America, Veganpet may be one of the better options. Let’s take a look at the brand and cover pros and cons.

4

Read full review

Alternatives to vegetarian and vegan dog foods – pescetarian dog foods?

If you’re willing to compromise a little then there are some great pescetarian dog foods.

Feeding a pescetarian dog food over a vegan dog food may meet your dog’s dietary needs a little better. Fish contains essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality protein which are important for a dog’s overall health and well-being.

Accepting pescetarian options for your dog gives you more options, including brands which are well respected and reputable worldwide. Two good choices are the Taste of the Wild and Canidae Pure brands – well worth considering, even as part of your dog’s diet.

While some dogs are said to thrive on a well-balanced vegan diet, others may require the specific nutrients found in animal products to maintain optimal health. This makes pescetarian dog food a potentially more suitable, or less risky choice for their nutritional requirements.

You may also be willing to consider insect protein as an option, which is a more sustainable form of animal protein.

Are vegan dog foods good for allergies and dietary sensitivities?

It is true a vegan dog food may help alleviate your dog’s allergies.

We often hear the word “allergy” in relation to itchy skin, yeasty ears, hot spots, or gastrointestinal issues and diarrhea. These are more correctly termed as dietary sensitivities, and many dog foods contain ingredients a dog should not really be eating anyway. In short, it means they are reacting to inappropriate ingredients.

Simply removing problematic ingredients can rectify these symptoms.

Many consider the new diet the solution – such as a vegan dog food or a hypoallergenic, veterinary-endorsed dog food – but these shouldn’t be considered miracle cures. They just don’t contain common causes of sensitivity such as wheat, cereals, cereal by-products, poor quality meat, or specific animal proteins.

Final thoughts on vegetarian and vegan dog foods

Remember to consult with your veterinarian before making any significant changes to your dog’s diet, especially if you’re considering transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan dog food.

It is important to understand nutritional deficiencies and health conditions can take a long time before symptoms are visible. Any veterinarian will tell you how often symptoms of illness are missed. For this reason we must have confidence we are feeding our pets all the nutrition they require.

If your dog displays any symptoms whatsoever, or you have the slightest concerns, I advise booking a check-up with your veterinarian. Inform them of the diet and request blood tests – this is the best way forward to address any possible issues with a vegetarian or vegan diet, and allow you to research available supplements or solutions.

Sick of reading reviews?

Tired of searching for a decent dog food you can afford? I think you’ve come to the right place!

Canidae are a company I have come to trust. Very rarely do I hear a complaint about the company or their products, which suggests reliability and a good standard of manufacture.

The grain free PURE range is excellent but comes at a premium price, which makes the All Life Stages offering a good option for those on a tighter budget.

If you’re looking for a decent dog food which doesn’t come at such a high price, then this is probably a very good choice.

Canidae All Life Stages review

You’ll find other dog foods on the best rated list with a higher meat content, but for a much higher price. Especially the top freeze or air dried brands, which, although wonderful may break your bank account.

What I like most about Canidae All Life Stages is it’s a practical option for most dog owners. Feeding this as a base diet, or your go to kibble, will help you keep the cost of feeding your dog down, and there’s no reason you can’t feed one of those more expensive foods to boost nutrition. Best of both worlds?

The main ingredients are a combination of different meats (chicken meal, turkey meal, and lamb meal), combined with a selection of rice (brown and white rice) as well as some peas, potato, and oatmeal.

It’s good to have a mix of ingredients, and the protein of 24% is above average. I find 14.5% fat a little low, but combining this with another food (air/freeze dried, BARF patties, meaty bones etc) will sort out that problem.

Canidae only use “human grade ingredients” which is likely the reason consumer feedback has been so good over the years. I can’t think of an American dry food which does that, which makes Canidae All Life Stages stand out from the crowd.

Even when we look at the more minor ingredients there’s a lot of good stuff to be said. Flaxseed, ocean fish meal, alfalfa, pre and pro biotics, and preserved naturally with rosemary extract.

For the price, Canidae All Life Stages will be a really good choice for many, which is why I consider it one of the best dog foods available in America.

Related: Canidae PURE (More premium, limited ingredient, higher price)

Where to buy?

Ingredients

Ingredients of Canidae All Life Stages dry dog food:

Chicken meal, turkey meal, lamb meal, brown rice, white rice, rice bran, peas, potatoes, oatmeal, cracked pearled barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), millet, tomato pomace, natural flavor, flaxseed meal, ocean fish meal, choline chloride, suncured alfalfa meal, inulin (from chicory root), lecithin, sage extract, cranberries, beta-carotene, rosemary extract, sunflower oil, yucca schidigera extract, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, cobalt proteinate, papaya, pineapple.

Guaranteed Analysis

Guaranteed analysis of Canidae All Life Stages dry dog food:

This review is for Pure Elements, but consider Pure Sea on the same level.

With any decent food we expect to see a meat “meal” as one of the top ingredients, especially for cats. This food boasts Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Lamb Meal, and Menhaden Fish Meal in the top nine ingredients. That’s fantastic!

In fact, the only two ingredients in the top 7 that aren’t meats are potato and peas, and we can’t really complain at those inclusions either for carbs and fibre.

As with all Canidae products, we have a well considered range of vitamins and minerals, with required oils and omega fats being catered for by the dense meat, fish, and chicken fat content. We even find lactobacillus fermentation products to support gut health. You don’t get stuff like that in many dry cat foods.

This is how a cat’s diet should be – lots of meat, and no cheap grains, fillers, or waste products. Highly recommended.

Where to buy?

Ingredients

Chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, potatoes, peas, chicken fat, lamb meal, natural flavor, menhaden fish meal, minerals (zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, manganous oxide, sodium selenite), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), choline chloride, DL-methionine, taurine, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, mixed tocopherols (a source of vitamin E)

The Canidae are a reputable company, there’s no question about that. They won’t use any ingredients they don’t determine to be human-grade, and they avoid using fillers in their food. For our Canidae PURE dog food review we’ll take a look at the Real Bison formula, but consider the others in the range on par.

What the marketing says

Canidae claim to formulate their foods with “whole body health” in mind, with “no fillers, artificial ingredients, or artificial preservatives”. Their food supports healthy digestion with probiotics, healthy joints with glucosamine and chondriotin, skin and coat from Omega 3 & 6, and a healthy immune system from antioxidants.

What the labelling really says

Let’s take a look at the ingredients…

Bison comes first on the list which is what we would expect with a decent product. It’s a decent animal protein source, and to ramp up the meat in the food we find lamb meal as the second ingredient. Great stuff. 

The next six ingredients, however, will likely be in similar quantities to the two meat ingredients. These are a combination of sweet potatoes, peas, lentils, carrots, pork meal, and tapioca. It’s good to see a mix, but it’s worth noting we have three meats to five non-meat ingredients. At least they’re balanced, and that’s a good thing compared to the many dog foods which are very little meat and a hell of a lot of wheat.

Sweet potato is a great source of carbohydrates, and preferable to regular (cheaper) potatoes. Peas are a good source of fibre and a nice ingredient to see in a dog food, but will also contribute to the protein in the food.

Canola oil isn’t the best choice of oil. I’d rather see fish or flax oil as a better alternative as they contain more omega-3, but Canola isn’t too bad. Omega fatty acids are required for good health as well as a healthy coat.

Canidae All Life Stages seems to have more meat in the ingredients, but the protein levels in the grain free variety is slightly higher at 25%. That’s good for a food, and suitable for dogs of most ages and breeds.

It’s great to see a range of inclusions to really support the health and wellbeing of your dog. This is where a pet food really stands out. As advertised they’ve included a range of ingredients to support joints, skin, and coat, with added probiotics to help your dog digest those vital nutrients.

Where to buy

Canidae PURE dog food review summary

I’ve found the Canidae PURE range to be excellent for dogs prone to allergies or itchy skin, so before medication give a bag of this a try.

This food is a great all rounder, with decent meat and carbohydrate content. It’s a food I’ve fed my own dogs and would happily feed again. It has shown to be a reliable, quality product with a well-deserved reputation.

We hope our Canidae PURE dog food review has been of use. Let us know if it has (or hasn’t!)

Ingredients

Bison, lamb meal, sweet potatoes, peas, lentils, carrots, pork meal, tapioca, canola oil, suncured alfalfa, natural flavor, minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), choline chloride, mixed tocopherols (a preservative), dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract.

Guaranteed Analysis

I’m not a fan of vegan or vegetarian dog foods, and the science is so terribly flawed (read this), but I find V-Dog dog food comes across the best of the bunch.

The reason for this is the formula feels more balanced and more digestible than other vegan dog foods. Let’s walk through those ingredients so you can decide for yourself if V-Dog is right for you and your dog.

If you’re willing to compromise a little then there are some great pescetarian dog foods, such as the Taste of the Wild and Canidae Pure brands, which are well worth looking at.

Let’s take a good look at Californian brand V-Dog:

My thoughts on vegan diets

If you read about the Griffith University study I linked to earlier, then you will have a really good base of understanding vegan dog foods. If anything, science shows they can be healthier than the average grain-based kibble.

For this reason, it’s possible for a dog to be healthier on a vegan dog food than a supermarket dog food.

My belief is dogs can live a far healthier life if not fed those grain-based or budget dog foods, and you should too – ultra processed junk.

V-Dog review

The main ingredients of V-Dog are peas and pea protein, so essentially a double-whammy of peas.

There are health concerns with dogs fed too much pea, but as an ingredient in a vegan dog food they’re readily available, sustainable, and (for the benefit of the manufacturer) cheap. If you’re concerned about your dog consuming too much pea then rotate between other brands – problem solved.

The benefits of peas are they’re rich in protein, and dogs tend to do better on protein-based foods rather than carbohydrate or starchy foods.

Considering the amount of peas in V-Dog, and how cheap peas are as an ingredient, you would expect the food to be cheap. It isn’t, because most vegan dog owners are willing to pay a premium for an ethical product.

The next set of ingredients are carbohydrates, and although science suggests dogs are omnivores (a “fact” very convenient for the producers of grain-based dog foods who fund and instigate scientific studies), carbs are harder for your dog to digest.

The reason is also scientific, as the short digestive tract of a dog is closer to that of a cat than us of a human. This can make carbohydrates hard to process in the time it takes for the rock hard nuggets of kibble to pass through the system and out the other end.

This set of ingredients is a combination of brown rice, oatmeal, potato protein (okay, not a carb, but you get my point), and sorghum.

Like peas, these are also relatively cheap ingredients. Especially when compared to meat ingredients. Do you think this is reflected in the price?

The fat content of V-Dog sits around 9%. That’s low, and suggests another problem which is lots of carbohydrates. Protein is 24%, and by my calculations that means almost 50% carbohydrates – that shows the emphasis of potato, oatmeal, and sorghum to peas.

Dog’s utilise fats very efficiently for energy.

Canola oil isn’t the best choice of oil, but being a vegan food they can’t use anything like fish oil as a better source of omega fats.

Other ingredients offer much needed omega 3 and 6, including flaxseed and sunflower chips, but these are so far down the ingredients list you have to wonder how beneficial they are. In fact, when you consider most of these ingredients are likely 1% or less of the formula, you have to wonder if they’re included because they look good on the label?

Other ingredients really highlight this as a vegan food – lentils, quinoa, alfalfa – which may add some benefit. The fruits and vegetables listed right at the end of the ingredients, after the vitamin and mineral inclusions, we can assume are nothing more than specks.

To wrap up, there are no added probiotics to aid digestion, and none of the minerals are chelated – just regular inclusions. Given this is a vegan dog food product, backed by dubious science, it would be nice to see more absorbable chelated minerals to ensure your dog gets what they need.

Price wise it’s very expensive per kilo if you consider there’s no meat content, and the ingredient inclusions are relatively cheap. It’s also very low in fat, and dogs utilise fat (animal fat) for energy.

Overall for a vegan food it’s better than others reviewed. Dare I say it, but if you add raw meat to this you’ll be offering your dog a decent diet.

Where to buy?

Vegan dog food is generally harder to source, sometimes being limited to a select few retailers.

Ingredients

Ingredients of V-Dog dog food:

Dried Peas, Pea Protein, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Potato Protein, Sorghum, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Suncured Alfalfa Meal, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dicalcium Phosphate, Flaxseeds, Millet, Calcium Carbonate, Lentils, Peanut Hearts, Quinoa, Sunflower Chips, Salt, Marine Microalgae (source of DHA), Potassium Chloride, Dried Chicory Root Inulin, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D2 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Folic Acid), Dried Carrots, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate), DL-Methionine, Dried Parsley, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), preserved with Citric Acid, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Dried 
Celery, Dried Blueberries, Dried Cranberries, Dried Beets, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lettuce, L-Carnitine, Dried Watercress, Dried Spinach, Rosemary Extract.

Guaranteed analysis

The guaranteed analysis of V-Dog dog food:

So is it any good? Let’s take a look at the Chicken recipe…

We find Chicken Meal as the main ingredient, which is something we’d expect from a decent manufacturer. Chicken “meal” is a dense form of chicken with moisture removed, so this is great to see in the top spot.

The next three ingredients are peas, peas, and peas (or for accuracy we’ll say green peas, chickpeas, and yellow peas). What they’ve done here is split peas (sorry for the pun) to make the ingredients look more meat focused than pea focused. The ingredients could be listed as Peas (comprising of green peas, chick peas, yellow peas), Chicken Meal, … and so forth. These aren’t bad ingredients, but we need to consider this as a more plant-based kibble than meat-based.

Next up we have chicken fat and some more chicken as a bonus. Chicken fat will provide energy and essential oils.

There’s a range of nice inclusions in the food. Flaxseed for heart health and necessary omega fats, as well as alfalfa which is a super green food rich in a range of vitamins and minerals. We also find a list of fruits and veggies in small amounts to further bulk up the nutrition.

The fat content of the food is low at 11%, testament to this being a plant-based kibble. Dogs are essentially carnivores so need more meat and meat fat in their diet, and this food is lacking.

Being made by Canidae should offer confidence. I rarely hear anything bad said about the company or their foods. That said, if you can afford the extra, opt for Canidae.

Where to buy?

Currently not available in America.

Good points…

Good ingredients

Bad points…

Very much a pea-based kibble, with not enough meat or meat fat.

Ingredients

Chicken meal, green peas, chickpeas, yellow peas, chicken fat, chicken, suncured alfalfa, flaxseed, natural flavor, minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), choline chloride, mixed tocopherols (a preservative), green beans, butternut squash, tomatoes, sage, zucchini, apples, carrots, blueberries, pumpkin, cinnamon, rosemary, parsley